Driving connection



J. P. CONSTABLE.

' DRIVING CONNECTION.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 24.1918.

1,425, 1 7? 1 v Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

UNHTED stares PATENT QDFFHCEEO JOHN P. CONSTABLE, OF WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIG-NOR TO NEW JERSEY PATENT COMPANY, O18 WEST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW I JEY.

DRIVING- CONNECTION.

reenter.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1922.

original application filed August 9, 1915, Serial No. 44,389. Divided and this application filed .Tune 24,

v 1918. Serial No. 241,872.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN P. CONSTABLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Llewellyn Park, West Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Driving Connections, of which the following is a description.

My invention relates to driving connections, and more particularly to an improved driving connection interposed between a driving means and a record support or mandrel of a phonograph or talking machine.

This application is a division of application Serial No. 44,389, filed by me August '9, 1915.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved device of the character referred to, whereby uniform movement of the record support or other driven means is insured.

In order that my invention may be more clearly understood, attention is hereby directed to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which:

Figure 1 is a view partly in' front elevation and partly in section with parts broken away, showing the preferred embodiment of my invention; and

Figure 2 is a view partly in elevation and partly in section taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

In all of the views, like parts are designated by the same reference numerals.

Referring to Figure 1, a phonographio base or bedplate l is provided adjacent to one end thereof with a vertical standard 2, in the upper end of which is mounted a shaft 3 on which is rotatably mounted a driven memher or mandrel 4. The end of the shaft 3 supported in the standard 2 is reduced, as shown at 5, the outer end of the reduced portion being threaded and carrying a nut 6 which bears against the side of the standard.

The nut 6 and the shoulder between the reduced portion 5 and the body portion of the shaft 3 thereby prevent longitudinal movement of the shaft. Rotataby mounted upon the shaft 3 and extending from the standard 2 to the head 7 at one end of the mandrel 4 is a driving member 8 which is provided with teeth to form a pinion 9. This pinion meshes with a gear 10 which in turn is rotated by a motor, not shown.

Referring to the figures, the head 7 is provided with diametrically opposed recesses 11 opening inwardly and facing the member 8 and in which are arranged the ends of radially extending arms 12 of non-rectilinear or, more specifically, U-shaped springs 13 which are secured intermediate their ends to the rotatable member 8 by suitable means, such as the radial screws or pins 14 which are threaded through the central portions of the springs 13 into the member 8. The screws 14 are in axial alignment and are so arranged as to normally lie midway between the arms of the springs 13. The ends of the springs 13 normally bear lightly against the sides of the recesses 11. The sides constitute abutments facing each other. In placing a record upon the record support or mandrel 4 it frequently happens that the said support or mandrel is twisted to a considerable extent, and to limit the movement of the mandrel or support 4 relatively to the member 8 so as to prevent the displacement of the ends of the springs 13 from the recesses 11, suitable stops may be provided. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the heads of the screws 14 are utilized for this purpose and are made of sufficient length to engage the sides of the recesses 11 when the mandrel is rotated a fixed amount relatively to the member 8. During the operation of the phonograph, even if the motor moves irregularly or vibrates to an. appreciable extent, the irregular movement or vibration will not be imparted to the record support because of the yielding character of the springs 13, which, while they apply the necessary turning force to the record support and record, permit the said support and record to move under the influence of their momentum with the necessary uniformity. When the phonograph is in normal operation with the parts in motion, the stops 14 are entirely out of engagement with the head 7.

It will be noticed that the gear 10 is a spiral gear, the use of which insures a smoother and less noisy operation of the phonograph than would be secured if ordinary spur gears were employed. A governor 15 is shown connected to the member 8 to regulate the speed of the motor. This governor is provided with a brake 16 whereby the motion of the governor and the movable parts connected thereto may be arrested. The brake 16 can be positioned to hold the governor and driving means, including the gear 9, stationary during the rewinding of the motor.

It is to be understood that my invention is not limited to the embodiments and features specifically shown and described herein, but that such features and embodiments are subject to changes and modifications without any departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is as follows:

1. The combination of movable members, and a spring having connection intermediate its ends with one ofsaid members, having arms extending substantially radially in the same general direction from said connection,

and coacting at said ends with the other of said members, substantially as described.

2. The combination of movable members,

abutments on one member facing each other,

and a substantially U-shaped spring connected intermediate its ends to the other member, and having said ends extending between said abutments, substantially as described.

3. The combination of relatively movable members, a non-rectilinear spring connected intermediate its ends to one of said members and having radially extending arms coacting at said ends with the other member and a stop for limitin relative movement between the members, su stantially as described.

4. The combination of relatively movable members, a spring between said members and a pin securing said spring to one mem,

ber and constituting a stop for limiting provided with diametrically opposed recesses opening inwardly, a driving member be-"' tween said recesses, U-shaped springs'having their ends extending into said recesses and engaging the sides thereof, and screws securing said springs intermediate their ends to said driving member, extending into said recesses between the arms of said springs and constituting stops, substantially as described. I

This specification signed this 18th day of June, 1918.

JOHN P. CONSTABLE. 

